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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29828889">I’m Not Who You Say I Am</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pike_The_Knife/pseuds/Pike_The_Knife'>Pike_The_Knife</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Steven Universe (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Abandonment, Baby Steven Universe, Child Abandonment, F/M, Forced Feminization, Greg gave Steven up, Lies, Mary is happy to have a grandchild, Name Changes, Sneaking Out, will update tags as I go</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 20:49:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,854</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29828889</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pike_The_Knife/pseuds/Pike_The_Knife</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Greg doesn't want Steven to grow up in a van. And when the gems refuse to take the child in, his last resort is his parents.</p><p>Steven grows up with his grandparents</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Connie Maheswaran &amp; Steven Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Our Grandson</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is not gonna be a sweet fic, it will have sweet moments but the plot is kinda messed up<br/>This Chapter is fine but the upcoming ones will be a different story</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Greg parks his van right outside of his parents’ house, still looking as bland as ever. He looked down at his infant son. Sweetly sleeping, calmed from the late-night drive. It warmed his heart to see him sleeping so peacefully, yet it broke his heart for what he is about to do. </p><p>   He grabs the letter he wrote before he drove here and stuffed it in his pocket. He left the car and went to the other side, scooping the young child out of the passenger seat and into his arms. He closed the door and turned back to the house. He took in a deep breath and walked to the front door. Every step closer felt like a huge weight was being laid on him, burdening him. He knew he would never forgive himself for this. But how could he force his son to live in a van for the rest of his life? </p><p>   When he placed Steven down on the welcome mat, the cold ground began to stir the sleeping child. He quickly took the note out of his pocket and rested it on his son. Now Steven was fully awake and was beginning to cry. He shot up and turned back to the van and ran to it. Only calming when he reaches the door and pulls it open. Once he sits in the driver’s seat he turns to look at his crying son for one last time and drives. Drives far away from his parents, his son, his only family. And to, once again, start a new life.</p><p>   Mary was sitting on the couch, a warm blanket laying against her legs, with a book in her hands. All seemed peaceful, calm until she hears crying. A baby was crying. She closed her book and placed it on the coffee table. Where was it coming from? She stood up and walked to where the sound seemed to be coming from. Her ears led her to the front door and she paused. Did someone dump their child on her front porch? But it was freezing outside! She quickly opened the door and looked down, and there it was a small crying infant. She scooped the child up into her arms and quickly went back inside, hoping to save the young child from getting a cold. </p><p>   When she looked down at the child she saw a note laying on his stomach. She grabbed it and glanced at it and, she froze. The title that laid in this letter made her want to cry. She dared to read it aloud.</p><p>   “Dear mom and dad,” A small sob escaped her lips but she pushed on, heading back to the couch with the baby in her arms. “Say hi to your grandson. His name is Steven Quartz universe, he’s my son. I’m sorry you had to meet him like this, with him laying on your front porch but, I just couldn’t take care of him. I couldn’t have him live in a van with me for the rest of his life. His mother is dead and her side of the family wants nothing to do with the child or me. You are my last resort, please take care of my son, I know we had our differences but Steven was never apart of that. I want to give him a life he can enjoy, a life he can thrive in, and if that means I must give him up, then I will. I’m hoping to keep in touch maybe, I know you never responded to my letters but, maybe that can change, for at least Steven’s sake.<br/>                               From, you son, <br/>                                       Greg.<br/>P.S. the gem on his stomach is nothing to worry about, it was inherited from his mother’s side of the family”</p><p> </p><p>   She felt speechless after reading such a note. She looked down at the infant, this- this was her grandson, her one and only grandson. She could see it now, the baby looked exactly like Greg, except for the hair and the-. She paused that thought looking down at the kid’s stomach, there lied a pink gemstone laying right embedded into the child’s navel. It was a horrific sight but when she gazed back at the letter, she calmed a little, just some weird genetic trait, nothing that will stop her from loving this child. When she looked back at the Infant her eyes met his and she couldn’t hold it back anymore, she burst into tears. She was holding her grandson. For the first time ever.</p><p>   Oh! She needed to show Gerard, her lovely husband. He should be so happy to know he has a grandson. Ever since Greg left he’s been quite a sour man. Maybe this child will bring some light back into his eyes. Maybe he’ll warm his heart, maybe they could try again, with this whole’ raising a child thing’. Her own son seemed to think she could, maybe all those hurtful words so long ago were just that, words. Oh, she hoped she could show this child the love and care that his own father couldn’t show him.</p><p>   As she stood up to bring the child to her room, where Gerard was there sleeping, Steven began to cry. She cradled the child, shushing him and giving a calm strock along his curly brown locks. This calmed him a bit but he still cried. She placed him back on the couch and grabbed a nearby blanket and swaddled it around him. She picked him back up and began to rock him once more. Steven was now calming down, ending the tear shed and falling asleep. She looked down at her sleeping grandson and she kissed his forehead.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Our Granddaughter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Gerard meets his grandson. But how long will the name Steven, stick.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>woo. okay so this might be out of nowhere, I realized in the last chapter there were no real hints to this, and well other than the chapter name that I gave y'all.<br/>I hope y'all still stick around though, it's the beginning of the disturbing plot.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gerard was resting on his side of the bed, reading one of his many books, his reading glasses hanging off the bridge of his nose. He scratched the small beard on his chin and flipped the page of his book when he heard the door to the room squeak open and a soft, sweet voice call in </p><p>   “Gerard? Are you awake?” It was Mary, his one and only Mary. He perked up closing his book, mentally marking in his head that he was on page 163. He placed the book down in his lap and spoke back to the soft voice</p><p>   “Yes Honey, I’m awake,” He smiled once she saw her walk in, though his eyes were drawn away from her beautiful face and onto her arms, which were cradling a bundle of blankets. He quirked his eyebrows “What do you have there, Mary?”</p><p>   When he looked back up at her face, he saw the biggest smile he’s seen since they had Greg. A sour taste filled his mouth, and his happy mood was ruined in those short seconds. Mary seemed to take notice but that didn’t stop her from walking to the side of the bed and handing him some kind of note.</p><p>   He began to read it ‘Dear mom and dad’ and it was like a bomb went off in his head “Really Mary?!” He barked at her “I thought we went over this, we were to not bother even to read those stupid laters he dared to send us.</p><p>   “No Gerard you don’t understand, please just read it,” She said so softly, it broke his heart. At the same time she spoke, she seemed to hug the bundle of blankets closer to her. </p><p>   He sighed but went back to reading the darn thing ‘Say hi to your grandson.’ It was like a brick hit him square in the chest and he swung his head back at Mary. A big grin was adorned on her face and he began to stammer.</p><p>   “I-is that-” he reacher a quivering hand to the bundle of blankets, now registering that it was something more, much more. Mary lowered the bundle up baby allowing Gerard to see the soft rosy face. Gerard’s hand laid across his grandson’s cheek, his heart swelling. The moment was short-lived.</p><p>   “Wait a minute, where is Greg” He shot out of bed, making Mary pull the baby back close to her. He turned to look at her “Where is that bastard, did he dump his god-forsaken son on us?!” He was shouting now, making the infant stir awake and begin to cry.</p><p> </p><p>   The wails caught him off guard, and he looked back at the child, his expression softening “Yes, He did” Mary finally replied “But, Gerard, darling, don’t you understand. We have a second chance, to have a proper child, to raise a good kid.” Her eyes were pleading as if she knew he wanted nothing to do with the kid, and he didn’t. But with those eyes, it was hard to say no to her.</p><p>   He sighed, crossing his arms and glaring at the infant “I’m not raising another ungrateful bastard of a son” he spat. He was putting his foot down, maybe, just maybe, if this child were a girl it would be easier to raise them, but with this child looking so much like Greg, AND being a boy, it was too close for home. He couldn’t and he wouldn’t.</p><p>   As if Mary knew this was what was spiraling on in his head, she rested a hand on his lower arm and smiled up at him. “I know it’s hard, he-he just looks so much like our boy” Tears began to well up in her eyes as she looked down at the child, still tossing and turning from Gerard's outburst. “B-but, just maybe, He doesn’t have to be our grandson” she stated looking back up at him with hopeful teary eyes.</p><p> </p><p>   “What do you mean” He was lost, she couldn’t just make this child not look like Greg. Though there was plastic surgery, he was sure that was illegal to do on a baby. “How on earth would we make this boy, not be our grandson, it’s genetics, honey” His eyes softened as he looked at her, worry glistening in his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>    “No, I don’t mean like that, maybe…….. Maybe he could not be a he” she looked down at the infant's eyes shining with love “Maybe we could raise him to be a girl” She finished looking back up at Gerard.</p><p>   Gerard, was no pleased “Really? You wanna raise him to be all girly, honey that’s unnatural, we couldn’t go against god’s will to make our grandchild a boy” He was shocked that Mary would even think of such a thing. But the more he thought about it, the easier it was to agree, to give in and raise this child to be a girl.</p><p>   “I know, but,” she gazed into Gerard's eyes, pleading, almost “I know it’ll be hard, but if he were a girl, It wouldn’t be like raising another Greg, this child could be their own person.” It was ironic, saying this child could be their own person and yet completely change their gender without his consent. But Mary was right, it would be so easy.</p><p>   “Alright, It won’t be easy though, we really have to make this child think he’s a girl,” he was confused about how to do that. Eventually, he’d learn that biologically, he was a male. Things would go south for them but looking back at Mary, she seemed to already have an idea.<br/>
“I’ve heard of certain pills and supplements that could help change his gender from the inside out. Puberty blockers and testosterone supplements. Things like that, once he gets older we’ll start to give them to him, change him to be more of a female than male.” Mary seemed to really have thought of this, but something about this didn’t sit right with him, forcing a boy to be a girl, but it’s all he could think of to not compare this child to Greg.</p><p>   “And what about his” He cleared his throat, feeling awkward to bring this up while talking about a baby “His privates? It is a dead give away for him, once he learns sex ed in school” He was kinda scared that, again, Mary seemed to already have thought of this.</p><p>   “You remember Richard, right?” Mary asked. Gerard thought of it, yes, he remembered him. Richard was Mary’s friend back in high school. They still kept in touch, but what did he have to do with this. </p><p>   “Yes, I remember him, but what does he have to do wi-” He cut himself off. He remembered now. He remembered what Richard did for a living. He was a plastic surgeon. Was she really think of, getting rid of that part of the child. He slightly felt sick. “Mary you can’t possibly be thinking of doing such a thing, It one thing to raise to be a girl, but to strip him of his boyhood?” he felt sick. It hurt him just thinking of it.</p><p>   “I know, I know. But Richard does secret surgeries all the time. He’s practically known to do it. He’ll say yes, he knows me, he’ll have to say yes.” She was pleading at this point. Gerard couldn’t look her in the eyes. “Please, darling, I want to raise this child, I want him, HER, to be our grandchild. And if this is the only way to truly love them, then I’m prepared to do it.” </p><p>   This felt wrong, completely and utterly wrong. But He did want a grandchild, the thought of not be able to love them because of their gender, made him feel terrible. He nodded, “Okay, you can do it, but I want no part in it, you can take him but I’m not going,” Once the words left his mouth Mary practically squealed. She sounded like a schoolgirl. It made his heart melt, oh he loved her. </p><p>   Gerard's eyes lingered back to the baby, and he motioned to hold the child. Mary handed him their grandson. No, their granddaughter. He looked down at her soft face, rosy cheeks, deep brown eyes. It made his heart melt all over again. </p><p>   “Well, we have to give her, a proper name, right?” Gerard asked, feeling happiness flutter through his heart. This was really happening, and he was surprised by how happy he was to have it happen. “What did Gregory even name the thing anyway?” he asked. Maybe that name could inspire her new name.</p><p>   “Steven, Gregory named her Steven, but I was thinking of names and maybe, we could name her Nora” Her eyes were so soft and sad. Nora, that was the name of their first child. Or at least it was going to be if she hadn't been a miscarriage. “To honor her, it seems right, fitting, even.” she smiled at the child and then back up at her husband.</p><p>   Gerard smiled, looking down at the baby. “Yes, I love that name, it really would suit her,” It was decided, that last key of their plan. Nora was to be raised as a young girl. It still didn’t quite sit right with him, but that happiness that was adorned on his wife’s face, and his own happiness that fluttered in his heart. It Was right, even if it was wrong, it was right.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next up<br/>'Only Half A Lie'</p><p>In where we time skip to when Nora (cough cough Steven Cough) is 15. </p><p>they're about in the middle ground of classic steven and future steven in height, just so you have a frame of reference. Imma try to imply that in the chapter but I doubt I'll do it well</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Only Half A Lie</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Nora is now 15, and is struggling to lie to her grandfather. She just wanted to go hang out with Connie TnT.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warning this has mild physical harm, nothing like MAJOR, just a wrist being bruised, but if that would bother you then you are free to skip the end of the chapter. If y'all need to know when to stop reading, just stop reading when Nora's Grandfather starts talking.</p><p>other then that ENJOY THE CHAPTER</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nora sat on the side of her bed, stretching out, and mentally preparing herself for another long day at school. She stood up, bare feet connecting with the scratchy carpet that covered her room’s floor. She sauntered over to her closet, pulling open the wooden folding doors, to reveal her, rather bland, clothing. Almost all of the clothing were muted colors or brown, blacks and whites. But there were a few exceptions. She grabbed a bright blue t-shirt, with a big yellow star on the center of it. It made her smile. This was given to her by her father. He had sent it to her on her 15 birthday. She’d had yet to wear it, wanting to keep it safe and clean in her closet, but today she decided otherwise. </p><p>   Today she grabbed that shirt and lay it down on her bed. She then grabbed some blue jeans and a pair of wine-red converse. She took off her white nightshirt and took off her fluffy grey pants. She threw the clothes into her hamper and turned back to her outfit of choice. She first put on her jeans. After that she put on her Father’s shirt, tucking the end of it into her jeans. She then cuffed her jeans, making sure that it was a perfect amount of room to show off her converse. She put on a pair of black socks. Once she was dressed she walked over to the bathroom, brushed her teeth, and hair. The second activity was a lot harder, her hair all knotted from her sleep. It refused to obey the comb. She sighed and gave up, deciding to just put it up into a messy bun.</p><p>   She left the bathroom after doing all her hygiene and went over to her desk. She grabbed papers, folders, and textbooks from the desk, shoving all of them into her backpack. She grabbed her phone from the charger and placed it in her back pocket. Then slipped on her backpack and went over to her shoes, picking them up and stuffed them in her backpack to put on once outside. Her grandparents didn’t like it when she wore her shoes indoors, so she made a note to not put them on until she leaves the house.</p><p>   She slipped out of her room and quietly went down the stairs, she remembered every step that made a creek and which ones were safe to step on. She made it all the way downstairs and into the kitchen without a sound. She grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and made a beeline for the front door. She froze in place when she heard a gruff voice clearing his throat. She had been caught. She turned around to see her grandfather sitting in the living room, she hadn’t even thought that he would be in there at this time in the morning.</p><p>   “Where are you going, Nora?” he asked quicking an eye brown. “It’s 4 in the morning, and the school doesn’t open until 7. The walk from here to school takes only 40 minutes, so where do you think you're going?” He stood up from the couch and walked to her, crossing his arms, and looking down on her. She looked up at him, fiddling with the apple held in her hand.</p><p>   “W-well, I um, oh I was going to meet up with Connie at the Library, there’s this test coming up soon and we were gonna study together” It was only half a lie, I’m mean she was going to meet up with Connie, but not at the Library. The two girls had planned on going to the skate park. Mainly just to chill on the sidelines, but also to use her new skateboard Connie got for her birthday. Connie had her rollerskates, but Nora was never too good with that. The things made her anxious, not having any way to bail.</p><p>   She felt satisfied with her lie, but when she glanced back up at her Grandfather, he didn’t seem fooled. “Nora, Why didn’t you study on your own, you can’t rely on this ‘Connie girl’ to help you with everything, you won't get anywhere in life if your leaning on everyone else for support.” He seemed to be really trying to teach her a life lesson but she just felt awkward. Was she relying on Connie too much? She was her only reason to leave the house. Maybe she should do some other things, without Connie. She shook that thought away, He was talking about school work, not hobbies and hangout time, she needed to stop overthinking things.</p><p>   “I know papa, and I have studied on my own, but my teacher said that if you practice by teaching it to a friend then it’ll stick better.” This was not a lie at all, which Nora was quite proud of. And maybe Connie and her could study for real before they head to school together. Yeah, that way she’d barely be lying at all. She was sure Connie would be okay with that, after all, Connie probably persuaded her mom to let her go by promising more study time, or something like that. So this was perfect, no lies at all.</p><p>   Her Grandfather sighed and nodded his head, “Alright you can go, but text me when you get to the library and when you start to head to school, okay?” She smiled wide. She had to hold back the urge to jump around with joy. She had to act like she was going to study, no go have the time of her life. </p><p>   Nora nodded “Of course I will, Papa. Thank you for letting me go” she was about to turn around and head out be she was stopped by her grandfather’s hand around her wrist and pulling her back to look up at him. Her heart fell, she did something wrong. Of course, she did, her lie was good but it implied she was planning on sneaking out. Witch, she was but that wasn’t something she was hoping to share. </p><p>   “Nora DeMayo, don’t you dare think you’re not in trouble. Count yourself lucky I’m not going to get your grandmother involved. But from now on you will not be allowed to leave this house without me and Mary knowing. Understood?” His voice was gruff and his face so close to her own she could smell his morning breath. She was shaking and frozen. She didn’t know what to say. She was scared if she said something wrong, he’d hurt her. But she was nocked out of her trance when her grandfather’s hand tighten around her wrist. She winced and nodded her head as fast as she could. In her urge to get away from the grip, she ended up dropping her apple, grabbing onto the hand on her wrist instead.</p><p>   “Y-yes grandfather, I-I understand, it won’t happen again, I promise.” They both stood there for what felt like an eternity but was closer to 10 seconds. The first thing to stop the standstill was her grandfather’s hand being removed from her wrist. He stepped back and looked down at her. She was rubbing her now free wrist, it was most definitely going to bruise. The thing ached in pain, she hopes it wasn't going to be too noticeable. </p><p>   “It better not. Now get out of her and go study” He stated, waving her off as he turned around to head back to the living room. She was still shaking but she forced herself to move, grabbing the apple off the floor and turning around, heading out the door. She started walking in the direction of the skatepark. As she got farther and farther away from the house, her strides became faster and faster, until she was full-on running.  Tears pricked in the corners of her eyes, but she quickly brushed them away. It was okay, everything was going to be okay.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next up</p><p>'The Softest Way To Fall'</p><p>where Connie makes an entrance</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Next up  'Our Grandaughter' </p><p>Where Gerard meets Steven</p><p>Sorry for the short chapter, I'm hoping to make the next one longer</p></blockquote></div></div>
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